There is an old occult maxim which declares that—" Nothing is concealed from him who knows." No Mason is bound to conceal that which he has never learned in the Lodge. All else he receives as he learns any thing, places his own estimate upon its value, and becomes individually responsible for its use. It must be a matter of conscience, and be weighed in the balance of duty, and every one must abide by the result. If Masonry has lost the Royal Secret, or if it never possessed it, or if it was wrenched away in the very name of Religion little more than a century ago, all the same, it belongs to the Craft as the Heir-apparent of the Old Wisdom. But the time has come when no cable-tow can bind it. It now belongs to Humanity equally with the Mason. To this end has it been preserved throughout the centuries.

Sunday, July 3, 2011

The Tie That Binds - The Seal of Solomon

In my last two blogs I have introduced you to two distinct triads, or triangles, the one with the apex up symbolic of the highest three levels of consciousness, and a second inferior triad, or triangle, with its apex point down representing the three lowest levels of consciousness.

What we are seeking here is Unity, the highest level of consciousness available, yet we have two distinct and separate triangles. If we think of the triad of Sun, Moon, and Mercury as the triad of Spirit, and the triad of Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn as the triad of Matter, the only way Matter can rise to union with Spirit is Venus, love.

Venus, love, is the tie that binds. The attraction of Spirit to love draws Spirit to Matter, and the attraction of Matter to love pulls Matter to love, thus the two Spirit and Matter are harmonized by Venus, love. Only through love can our level of consciousness rise above the world of Matter. It doesn't matter what you think you know, it doesn't matter what you preach, without love you just ain't getting it.

Now I know many within the esoteric traditions are familiar with the interlaced triangles with the Sun in the center, where as in mine I placed Venus, and with due cause.

In the hexagram we have created by the higher triad descending and the lower triad ascending can only make sense when we are discussing the raising of ones consciousness, symbolized in the raising of the Master Mason and all those who seek Enlightenment, Self Realization, Samadhi, etc.

Because of love the triangle of Spirit descends to Matter, and because of love Matter ascends to Spirit, forming the union that allows one continue the process of expansion of consciousness.

The question we should be asking is what type of love has the ability to bind Spirit and Matter? Clearly we're not talking the simplified version so commonly labeled love, our love of spaghetti, or love of Spot, or even our love of spouse, each and every one of those loves has the ability to discontinue. We're talking of a love that has no limit, no time frame, no boundaries, no conditions. This is I would give my life type of love that has the possibilities to override your survival instincts, without thought. I'm pretty sure if you let your intuition kick in you'll know where I'm going.

I remember hearing this wonderful little tale of the Buddha and his deep compassion. One day the Buddha, in one of the many life's, was making his way through the forest when he came upon a cliff. As he looked down over the edge he saw a mother tiger and her cubs. The mother tiger was frail, skinny, and visibly unable to hunt. It came to the Buddha that because of the mother's woeful and hungry condition without food the mother and her cubs would surely die. Without hesitation the Buddha threw himself off the cliff, spiritual love.

“You have heard that it was said, 'Love (agape) your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love (agape) your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?” — Matthew 5:43-46

The Female or Venus symbol ♀, is made up of two symbols, the circle joined to the cross. The circle symbol meaning is universal, sacred and divine. It represents the infinite nature of energy, and the inclusivity of the universe, an appropriate symbol to represent our apex pointing up triad. The cross in its simplest form, as +, is the glyph for the quaternary or square, representing the four lower planes of consciousness, or more simply, Matter.

Any Freemason should be able to see the results of our most notable and easily recognizable symbolic tools in the sign of Venus, the circle is drawn by the Compass, the cross by use of the Square, also symbolic of Spirit and Matter.

Scathing, yet profound:“Their truths shared the fate of other truths; they were misunderstood and rejected by the ignorant, who continually clamor for truth and reject it when it is offered, because, being blind, they are unable to see it; their science is known only to those who are able to grasp it. Theology and Masonry have—each in its own manner—continued the teachings of the Alchemists, and fortunate is the Mason or the priest who understands that which he teaches. But of such true disciples there are only few.”…Magic White and Black, or, the Science of Finite and Infinite Life, Franz Hartmann

Oh gallant Knights, in fitting garb arrayed, With helmet high, and cross and glittering blade— Brave warriors in a warfare not to cease Till wearied souls shall find perpetual peace, While in this noble chamber met, Where zeal and light and love abound, Let's sit around the Master's feet, And listen to the gracious sound: The Master — Prince Immanuel The sound — His word we love so well!

I came across these pictures while surfing the web. What a beautiful Masonic mausoleum!

I put this together as a mini movie so I could add the music to create the right ambiance. Enjoy!!